TWO drug dealers who robbed a supposed buyer at knifepoint after he refused six rocks of crack have been jailed.

Andrew Sinharoy, 28, and Stephen Richardson, 23 were convicted of robbery and attempted robbery by a jury at Teesside Crown Court in February.

Sinharoy, who also faced sentences for burglary and breaching a community order in relation to a previous theft, was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Richardson, who had previous convictions for shoplifting and burglary, was jailed for three years.

The court heard the duo turned on long-distance lorry driver Stewart Brockie, 46, who had arranged a drug deal he had no intention of seeing through.

The court was told Mr Brockie had hoped the encounter would lead him to Hazel Grantham, so he could “rekindle a relationship” with her, after hearing she was carrying out drug deals on behalf of her new partner, Richardson.

But after Mr Brockie made the journey from Catterick to Acklam Road in Middlesbrough on October 27 last year, she was nowhere in sight and instead he was met by Sinharoy.

The court heard Sinharoy spat six stones of cocaine from his mouth into his hand.

He became angry when Mr Brockie said he did not want the £120 deal and had no money to pay for it.

The jury heard Sinharoy was then joined by his “back-up” Richardson. The pair chased Mr Brockie and pushed him over, causing a cut to his forehead.

The court was told Richardson produced a knife with a six-inch serrated blade, and the pair demanded, “Give us your money.”

They searched Mr Brockie at knifepoint, taking his wallet and mobile phone, but found no cash.

They then demanded Mr Brockie drive them to a cash machine.

While using the cash point at Sainsbury’s in Middlesbrough, Mr Brockie shouted to a supermarket worker to “get the police” and ran into the shop.

Richardson, of Newport Road, and Sinharoy, of Wicklow Street, then fled the scene.

During the trial, both denied the charges, but on February 20, the jury found Sinharoy and Richardson guilty.

The judge, recorder Kelbrick, sentencing on Friday, said the pair would each serve half of their sentence, before being released on licence.